Reinforced biased hem

ABSTRACT

A pair of pants has a stretchable fly panel section with a laterally extending reinforcement that functions to limit the stretching of the upper edge of the stretchable section. The reinforcement is preferably a hem along the upper border of the fly panel, which can be advantageously sewn to adjacent side panels. In preferred embodiments the fly panel is in a pair of shorts, and most preferably in a pair of board shorts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is clothing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

“Board shorts”, as well as other types of shorts used for swimming,surfing, and other water sports are currently fitted with a fly panel atthe front of the shorts that serves to couple at least partiallyoverlapping adjacent panels. Since these shorts usually do not contain azipper, the fly panel facilitates putting on and removing the shorts.U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,215 to Hurley (March 2001), incorporated byreference in its entirety, describes various embodiments of shorts withfly panels, including examples of such shorts having an opening wherethe bottom of the fly panel would be expected to join with the adjacentpanels. The function of the opening is reportedly to allow sand andother debris to pass through the pants.

In some models the fly panel comprises a stretchable fabric, which iscommonly Lycra™, Nylon™, or other synthetic or natural polymers. Thiscauses a potential for overstretching and even ripping, especially wherethe adjacent panels are either non-stretchable or significantly lessstretchable. The problem can be solved by choosing materials that areless stretchable, but many manufacturers choose to use materials andthicknesses that are prone to these defects.

It is known to use reinforcements running laterally or diagonally acrossthe body of a stretchable front panel of clothing for pregnant women,and for girdles and other undergarments. But those front panels are notfly panels, as the term is contemplated herein, because they do notcouple at least partially overlapping adjacent panels. Apparently it hasnot been appreciated that reinforcements should or can be used on flypanels, perhaps because they are not intended to be subjected toconstant lateral pulling as in the case of the prior art stretch panels.

Thus, there is a still a need for devices and methods that reduce thetendency of stretchable fly panels to overstretch or rip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses these problems by providing a lateralreinforcement section to a fly panel.

In a preferred embodiment the reinforcement is a non-stretchable, or atleast a substantially less stretchable in the lateral direction, hemacross the top of the fly panel. To prevent overstretching of the flypanel, the hem is preferably sewn to the adjacent panels. Contemplatedhems are between about 5 and 20 cm in length. Alternative embodimentscontemplate one or more reinforcements running laterally or diagonallyacross the body of the fly panel.

The laterally reinforced fly panel can be incorporated into any numberof garments, including long pants, out wear shorts, and even underwearshorts. But the most preferred embodiments are with respect to theso-called board shorts, which have a relatively long leg and are madesubstantially from a relatively quick drying fabric.

The fly panel can advantageously comprise any suitably stretchablematerial, and is preferably stretchable in multiple directions. The flypanel can have any suitable shape, including a truncated V shape, andcan be attached to side, front or other panels in any suitable manner.

Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with theaccompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of pants having a fly panel andhem according to the inventive subject matter.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the fly panel of the pants of FIG. 1, having areinforced top hem of substantially non-stretchable or low stretchmaterial.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an alternative fly panel having reinforcementsacross the body of the fly panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, a pair of pants 10 generally includes a waist band 12, flypanel 20, first and second at least partially overlapping adjacentpanels 30, 32, and legs 40, 42.

Pants 10 is intended to portray a generalized pair of pants, whetherouter pants, ski or other “over” pants, Capri pants, board shorts,swimming trunks, underpants, and so forth. In preferred embodiments,however, legs 40, 42 are short enough for the pants to be consideredboard shorts or other shorts. Substantially all of the material(s) usedin the pants, including the various panels and thread, is preferably ofa fast drying type. Pants 10 are also generalized in the sense that theyrepresent men's and women's pants, girl's and boy's pants. Fly panel 20,first and second adjacent panels 30, 32, and legs 40, 42 are allcontemplated to be sewn or together or otherwise attached in anysuitable manner.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 fly panel 20 is cut to a truncated invertedtriangular shape, with a substantially horizontal top 22, downwardlyconverging sides 24A, 24B, and a substantially horizontal bottom 26. Inalternative embodiments (not shown) the fly panel could be cut to someother shape, such as a substantially triangular shape without bottomtruncation. The sides 24A, 24B need not even converge, so that theentire fly panel (not shown) could be substantially trapezoidal.

Fly panel is made from a material that is stretchable in at least thelateral (i.e. horizontal direction), but may also be stretchable inother directions. As used herein the term “stretchable” means beingcapable of repeated, reversible expansion or distention by hand withouteasily tearing or breaking. Especially preferred materials includeLycra™, Nylon™, or other natural or synthetic polymers.

The top 22 of fly panel 20 has a laterally extending reinforcement, hem23, made from a material that is substantially non-stretchable in thelateral direction, or at least substantially less stretchable in thelateral direction than the fly panel 20. Top 22, sides 24A, 24B, andbottom 26 are preferably straight or only slightly curved for convenientproduction and sewing. The hem 23 advantageously runs the entire lengthof top 22, and is further sewn into adjacent panels 30, 32. Depending onthe size of pants 10, hem is generally at least 5 cm, at least 10 cm,and at least 20 cm long. Preferred embodiments, however, have a hembetween 5 cm and 20 cm. (All ranges specified herein are inclusive ofthe endpoints). Hem 23 is preferably sewn or otherwise attached toadjacent panels 30, 32. The bottom 26 is at least 1 cm long, providingan opening 14 in the pants 10 for sand and other debris to fall through.

In FIG. 3 an alternative fly panel 120 has top 122, sides 124A, 124B,and bottom 126. Bottom 26 is substantially pointed, or has a smallhorizontal section, rather than the large horizontal section shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Fly panel 120 also contains a reinforcement, but hereinstead a hem along the top margin of the panel, there are two laterallyextending reinforcements 123A, 123B, extending across the body of thefly. These reinforcements 123A, 123B serve substantially the samefunction as the hem 23 in FIG. 1, which is preventing or at leastsignificantly reducing overstretching and ripping of the flexible fly120.

Reinforcements 123A, 123B can again made from any suitable material,preferably a material that is non-stretchable, or at least lessstretchable in the lateral direction than the fly panel 120. Theposition of reinforcements 123A, 123B in FIG. 2 are not especiallysignificant. All other suitable options are contemplated, provided theysatisfy the purpose of preventing or at least significantly reducingoverstretching and ripping of the flexible fly 120. In an alternativeembodiment, for example, reinforcements could run diagonally from upperleft to lower right, or visa-versa, and the reinforcements could runparallel, be crossed, or have some other relationship (not shown). Thenumber of reinforcements is also not especially important. Contemplatedpants have only a single reinforcement (not shown) running laterallyacross the fly panel a few cm below the upper hem.

Fly panel 120 is again intended to be used in any pair of pants,including especially whether board shorts and swimming trunks.

Thus, specific embodiments and applications of pants with a reinforcedfly panel have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to thoseskilled in the art that many more modifications besides those alreadydescribed are possible without departing from the inventive conceptsherein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restrictedexcept in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpretingboth the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpretedin the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. Inparticular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpretedas referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusivemanner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or stepsmay be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements,components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.

1. A pair of pants having a stretchable fly panel, with a lateralextending reinforcement.
 2. The pants of claim 1 wherein thereinforcement comprises an upper hem of the fly panel.
 3. The pants ofclaim 1 wherein the fly panel comprises a synthetic polymer.
 4. Thepants of claim 1 wherein the fly panel comprises at least one of Lycra™and Nylon™.
 5. The pants of claim 4 wherein the fly panel has asubstantially truncated inverted triangular shape.
 6. The pants of claim1 wherein the fly panel is stretchable in multiple directions.
 7. Thepants of claim 1 further comprising first and second substantiallynon-stretchable panels that are sewn adjacent to the fly panel, and thatare at least partially overlapping.
 8. The pants of claim 7 wherein thefirst and second adjacent panels are coupled to the fly panel in amanner that provides a bottom opening below the fly panel.
 9. The pantsof claim 7 wherein each of the fly, first, and second panels arecomposed substantially of rapid drying materials.
 10. The pants of claim2 further comprising first and second adjacent panels that are sewn toboth the fly panel and the hem.
 11. The pants of claim 2 wherein the hemhas a length of at least 5 cm.
 12. The pants of claim 2 wherein the hemhas a length of at least 10 cm.
 13. The pants of claim 2 wherein the hemhas a length of no more than 20 cm.
 14. The pants of claim 1 furthercomprising first and second at least partially overlapping adjacentpanels that are sewn to the fly panel, and wherein the reinforcementcomprises an upper hem.
 15. The pants of claim 14 wherein the first andsecond adjacent panels are coupled to the fly panel in a manner thatprovides a bottom opening below the fly panel.
 16. The pants of claim 1having leg portions with a length suitable for shorts.
 17. The pants ofclaim 16 further comprising first and second at least partiallyoverlapping adjacent panels that are sewn to the fly panel, and whereinthe reinforcement comprises an upper hem.
 18. The pants of claim 17wherein the first and second adjacent panels are coupled to the flypanel in a manner that provides a bottom opening below the fly panel.19. The pants of claim 16 having leg portions with a length suitable forboard shorts.
 20. The pants of claim 16 wherein the fly panel has anupper hem, and the reinforcement is sewn into the fly panel below theupper hem.